BRADENTON – The city of Bradenton plans to review its existing regulations pertaining to vendors operating along the Palma Sola Causeway.
The Palma Sola Causeway is part of the Florida Department of Transportation-designated scenic highway that stretches from 75th Street West and Manatee Avenue in west Bradenton to Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach.
In recent years, the causeway has become heavily populated by business operators offering personal watercraft rentals, boat rentals, horse rides and more. In recent months, Palma Sola Scenic Highway Byway Organization Vice Chair Ingrid McClellan has been emailing city, county and state officials seeking enforcement of the rules and regulations in place.
On July 24, Bradenton Police Chief Josh Cramer sent McClellan an email that said, “The Bradenton Police Department and city code enforcement have been working together with our legal teams and are working on an ordinance that should go before council in the very near future. The ordinance will fill gaps identified in our current regulations. In the interim and beyond, we will continue to enforce traffic and code violations as observed and reported.”
Cramer’s email was written in response to a July 24 email he received from McClellan, in which she wrote, “Is Bradenton Code Enforcement or the Bradenton Police Department responsible for enforcing prohibitions of vendors and advertising in the FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation) rights of way, where Manatee County Code Enforcement does not do so?”
She also wrote, “Unlawful vendors and advertisements are occurring daily on FDOT rights of way on the southeast side of Palma Sola Causeway.”
In recent months, McClellan has repeatedly shared with city, county and state officials her views that the commercial activities taking place along the causeway violate Bradenton’s sign regulations, the state of Florida’s right-of-way use regulations and the outdoor advertising prohibitions set forth in the federal Highway Beautification Act.
On July 31, she sent Cramer and Bradenton Code Enforcement Manager Volker Reiss TikTok videos of a personal watercraft rental operator soliciting business, changing oil and repairing watercraft at the causeway.
Earlier this year, McClellan sent an email to Cramer, Reiss, Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells and Manatee County Code Enforcement Chief Tom Wooten that noted the Palma Sola Scenic Highway Byway Organization has been working to enhance that portion of the scenic highway since 2004. And she requested enforcement from the applicable county and city agencies.
That email referenced an FDOT encroachment brochure that lists the following prohibited uses of an FDOT-designated scenic highway: “Any use which interferes with the safety and efficiency of the road; display of advertising of any sort; solicitation, display or free distribution of any merchandise, goods, property or services.”
According to the brochure, “Regulation of activities occurring within the right of way is necessary to help prevent distractions to motorists; unsafe pedestrian movement within travel lanes; sudden stoppage or slowdown of traffic; rapid lane changing; increased vehicular accidents and motorist and pedestrian injuries and fatalities.”
“The Byway organization looks forward to the swift enforcement of our laws and regulations on Palma Sola Causeway, as we have provided the information and evidence to do so,” McClellan told The Sun on July 31.
Related coverage: Causeway watercraft rentals remain a concern
